Alice Loksha, a 42-year-old nurse abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State in 2018, has finally regained her freedom.
Speaking with reporters in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Friday, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, North-East, Major General Wahdi Shuaibu, confirmed Loksha’s abduction while working at a UNICEF office in Kala Balge.
Represented by his deputy, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Chigbu, Shuaibu also announced that another woman, Fayina Ali, who was captured by the insurgents in 2020 while traveling from Kaduna to settle her late brother’s death benefits, managed to escape.
Both women were reportedly forced into marriages with the insurgents during their captivity.
“She was forced to marry Abu Umar, with whom she had a son, Mohammed,” Shuaibu noted. After Abu Umar’s death, Loksha was compelled to marry ISWAP Commander Abu Simak. She ultimately fled the Dogon Chuku camp on October 24, 2024, and arrived at the Theatre Command Headquarters on October 29, 2024, where she received medical care.
As for Fayina, she was initially held at the Kangaruwa enclave for nine months, transferred to Tumbunma for three years, and then returned to Kangaruwa for another year before escaping.
Shuaibu added, “Both women have undergone traumatic experiences and have shown remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.”
Receiving the freed abductees on behalf of the Borno State Government, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, praised the Nigerian Army for their efforts in restoring stability to the Northeast, especially Borno State. She assured that the women would receive thorough support.
“The woman will undergo psychosocial support and rehabilitation before being handed over to their families for integration,” Gambo stated.
Boko Haram’s insurgency has wreaked havoc across Nigeria, especially in the northeastern regions and neighboring countries. The conflict has displaced millions, created severe humanitarian crises, and resulted in countless deaths. Kidnappings for ransom have become a prominent strategy for the insurgents, serving as a significant funding source for their operations.
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